Improved mop, mat, and wiping-cush ion



N: PETERSy PHOTWLITHOGRAPNER. WBNIN UNITED STATES HAMILTON ERASTUS SMITH,

PATENT OFFICE.

0E NEWARK, -NEW JERSEY.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 101,777, dated April 1:2, 1870.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, lElAi/IILTONv ERAsTUs SMITH, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Mops, Mats, Wiping- Cushions, 85e.; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof', which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference be'inghad to the accompanyingdrawings,tbrming part of this specification.

Figures 1, 2, and 3 represent detail top views of my invention, showingseveral modifications of construct-ion. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section of one of the modifications.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention has for its object to make sponge applicable to the rough usage to which mops, mats, wiping pads or cushions, or similar articles are subjected. The extreme porosity of the sponge makes the same particularly useful for the purposes of absorbing liquids. Its weakness, however, has thus far disqualified it for the rough usage, as thereby it would be too rapidly destroyed.

My invention consists in strengthening the sponge by inclosing it in porousfabric, whereby it will become durable without losing its porous quality.

The sponge A may in larger or smaller pieces be confined within bags B B,which are made of perforated buckskin or leather, as in Fig. l, or of light net-work, as in Fig. 2, or of canvas or similar fabric, as in Fig. 3. The porous bag or inclosure of the sponge may be quilted, as indicated, or otherwise made in suitable manner. The fabric receives the wear and tear of the mop, mat, or other article for which the sponge is employed, and the sponge imbibes the moisture. The fabric does not prevent the moisture from being absorbed by or forced out of the sponge by squeezing. An extremely useful new article ot manufacture is thus produced.

Having thus described my inven tion,I claim as new and desire to'secure by Letters Paten t The mop, mat,or wipingpad made ofsponge, which is surrounded by a porous covering, as set forth.

HAMILTON ERAS'IUS SMITH.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. MABEE, ALEX. F. ROBERTS. 

